


Family Feud: Dwarven Style!

by Bofur1



Series: Company Confidential [3]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: Adult angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bickering, Contests, Danger, Darkness, Gen, Major Character Almost-Death, Past Sibling Tension, Sibling Rivalry, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-14
Updated: 2013-09-10
Packaged: 2017-12-11 20:56:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 11,553
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/803185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bofur1/pseuds/Bofur1
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fíli and Kíli get into an argument over bravery. There are no words that can resolve their quarrel; therefore they decide that there must be a contest. The brothers challenge each other to sleep all alone for three nights straight. And when an unexpected occurrence sends everyone into darkness, that's even better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Contention

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Katarina](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katarina/gifts).



> I've been hanging onto this idea for a while and just decided to let it out. Hope you enjoy!

Kíli looked up to see his elder brother Fíli gathering his hunting weapons.

“Where’re you hunting, Fee?”

“Oh, just around,” Fíli answered lightly.

“Can I go with you?” Kíli asked eagerly, slamming his book shut and leaping to his feet.

“Well, the thing is, it’s a group of older boys going, Kee, and I wanted, well, to kind of have some time _alone_ with them,” Fíli was trying to say it gently, that he didn’t want his younger brother around.

“Oh.” Kíli’s disappointment was evident on his face as he sank back down and grabbed his book. “Um, okay...” he mumbled. “I’ll just stay here and...read.”

Fíli gave a groan and leaned against the thick wooden post that held up their tent. “Please don’t do that, Kee! You make me feel bad. I _never_ get invites from the older Dwarves to go hunting, and this is my first—and probably only—chance! Can you guess who’s going? Bofur, Glóin, and Nori!”

Fíli had wanted to approach these three as friends ever since he first saw them. However, normally bold Fíli had inexplicably become shy around the trio, timid to work his way into their friendship circle. But now...Kíli needed to understand how important this was!

“That’s nice,” Kíli said flatly. “Have a good time.”

Fíli clenched his teeth. “Be like that if you want, Kíli. I’m going, and it’s not my fault that you’re not big enough or brave enough to come.” He marched off, but Kíli’s head had already jerked up, and the book had fallen unnoticed to the floor.

He wasn’t big enough, true. But not brave enough? Had Fíli really said, ‘not brave enough’?

Kíli dashed after his brother and grabbed his shoulder with what he thought was a good, noticeable grip. Fíli halted, startled by the strength of it, and Kíli was glad.

“What do you mean, I’m not brave enough?” Kíli hissed.

“Exactly what I said,” Fíli answered rudely.

“Listen here,” Kíli commanded, coming to stand in front of him. He jabbed a finger in Fíli’s face. “I may be five years younger than you, but that doesn’t mean I’m not as brave as you.”

“Think what you want,” Fíli easily deflected his argument and stepped around him. Kíli’s temper was broiling. His cheeks flushed scarlet, and his jaw tightened.

“Maybe I _will_ come!” he shouted at his brother’s back. “I’ll come, and I’ll tell them everything embarrassing that you’ve ever done in your whole life!”

Fíli froze. Reeling around, he streaked back to Kíli and seized him by the arms. “You wouldn’t dare!” he cried.

“I would and I will, unless you take back what you said! I’m just as brave as you!” Kíli said hotly, shaking off his brother’s grip.

 “Alright, then,” Fíli countered. “If you’re so fearless...” He considered for a moment, and then announced, “Try sleeping in a separate tent tonight, away from me and Ama and Uncle— _all alone_.”

Kíli was growing reckless in his anger. “Fine! I will, and I won’t care!” he declared stoutly.

“Oh, you’ll care.” Fíli leaned into his face, hissing, “And when all the Orcs and Goblins come creeping toward your tent; when you see their eyes glowing; when you start hearing noises, you better not come crying to me!”

Kíli felt dread tingle up his spine. All the same he spat, “As if! I’ll bet...I’ll bet you’re scared! You want _me_ to sleep alone to get the pressure off _you_!”

 “I’m not scared!” Fíli cried indignantly.

“Then you sleep alone too!”

“I will!”

“And when you do,” Kíli barked, “I’ll bet you’ll be so scared in the dark that you’ll wet yourself!”

 Fíli bristled. “If that’s the way you want it, Mister Smarty-Pants, then let’s make it two nights!”

“ _Three_ ,” Kíli challenged.

“Fine. It starts tonight,” Fíli announced. Then he turned on his heel and stalked away.

Kíli was rather satisfied with the retort he’d made, but as he started to think, he began to wonder why on earth he’d been arguing with his big brother at all. He almost couldn’t remember.


	2. Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin finds out about his nephews' dispute as Kíli tries fruitlessly to prepare for that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kíli isn't usually a snot, but in this chapter he is. And Thorin might sound like all his lines have been rehearsed, but hey, he's a king, right? Regal and such. :P

Thorin started as a curse of frustration split the air. When he emerged from his tent, he saw his younger nephew struggling with a large tarp, several pegs, and some long, thick wooden posts.

“Kíli?” Thorin said curiously. Kíli looked up, tears of anger in his eyes. “What on earth are you doing?” Thorin demanded as he approached.

Kíli threw the tarp to the ground in disgust. “I’m trying to put up a tent!” he cried in exasperation, kicking at one of the posts.

Thorin stooped and grasped the edge of the tarp. “Do you want help?”

Kíli sighed crossly. “I suppose.”

As Thorin shook the dust off the tarp, he gave his nephew a sidelong glance. “Who is in need of a tent?” he inquired.

Kíli paused, and after a moment admitted, “Me.”

Thorin’s eyebrows shot up. “Kíli, you know you’re always welcome to sleep in my or your mother’s—”

“No!” Kíli burst out. He saw the surprised look on his uncle’s face and flushed, murmuring in a more subdued tone, “Ah, no, thank you.”

Thorin lay the canvas aside and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Alright, Kíli. What’s happened?”

Kíli tried to seem unknowing. “H-Happened?” he echoed.

“Yes. You’ve never had a problem sleeping with your mother or I in the past, and if you have, you’ve never mentioned it. Tell me what’s wrong.” Thorin waited patiently as Kíli fidgeted.

“Well,” Kíli began uncomfortably. “Fíli and I are having a sort of fight.”

“A 'sort of fight',” Thorin repeated skeptically.

“We’re having a fight,” Kíli confessed. “He said that I wasn’t as brave as he is, so he challenged me to be in a tent all by myself for a night. Then it became two, then three, and so I need a tent.”

 Thorin was silent for a long moment, and then said, “Kíli, are you certain you want to do this? You—”

Kíli put his hands on his hips. “You think I’m a coward too!” he cried. “If that’s what you think, don’t help me. Go away and I’ll figure out how to put up this irksome tent on my own!”

“That wasn’t what I was going to say, and you had better speak with more respect, Kibilâl,” Thorin spoke in a severe tone. Kíli cringed. Whenever his mother or uncle used his true Dwarven name, he didn’t dare disobey.

“Yes, sir,” Kíli mumbled shamefacedly.

Thorin began to pace, as he often did when he was deep in thought. Kíli waited with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Was Thorin now devising some horrible plan to stop the contest? If he did, Fíli would believe that Kíli had put him up to it, and then where would that leave him? As a coward even worse than Fíli had thought.

After a long time Thorin turned to him. “Very well,” he declared. “If this is the only way to settle the squabble, we’d best get your tent off the ground.”

Kíli breathed a great sigh of relief as he turned away to pick up a peg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kíli's real name is Kibilâl, meaning "the charmer"


	3. Continued Controversy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fíli eavesdrops on an argument between his uncle and mother, and then hears a voice behind him.

Fíli returned from his hunting trip with three skinned hares and a small, mangy falcon. He’d not hunted very well, what with his mind on the contest, and therefore had embarrassed himself in front of the older boys. Bofur had been very encouraging, but Nori had only barely bitten back a laugh as he watched, and Fíli knew it.

As he trudged into camp, he heard loud voices drifting from one tent. Curious, he crept over and instantly recognized his mother’s and uncle’s angry tones. What interested him more was that they were talking about him and Kíli!

“...So you encouraged it?!” Dís demanded, planting her hands on her hips. She glared at her brother, who glared back.

“Dwarf boys will be Dwarf boys, and I wasn’t ‘encouraging’ it,” he argued. “They obviously cannot solve this problem with words alone; they need to learn some kind of lesson from this.”

Dís heaved a displeased sigh. “To us their challenge seems so trifling, but to them it’s so large a deal, sleeping alone. Misinterpretation is the only lesson they’ll learn from this!”

“They’ll learn that they need to rely on each other _and us_ ,” Thorin said sharply.

“I thought Dwarf boys were supposed to be independent; or am I truly certain I heard someone say that?” Dís retorted sarcastically. “Perhaps somehow I’m not in my right mind—or perhaps _you_ aren’t.”

Thorin took a step forward. “Now you—”

“I don’t want any of your ‘You listen here’ thing,” Dís snapped. “if you want to say that you can go outside and say it to my boys and try to repair the damage you’ve done!”

“ _I’ve_ done?!” Thorin sputtered. “I did no damage at all!”...

So the argument went, and as the rounds continued, Fíli felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. When he’d challenged Kíli he’d never believed it could have caused such controversy among the adults.

“What do you think you’re doing?” came a voice from behind.

Fíli started, hastily getting to his feet and spinning around. Even so, Dwalin had to look very far down to meet eyes with him.

Fíli came up with his greatest response. “Uh...”

Dwalin’s dark brows knit. “It’s not wise to eavesdrop on the Prince and Princess when they’re having a fight. If they catch you, you might be pulled into it.” Thus saying he put a hand at Fíli’s back and guided him away.

“That’s true enough,” Fíli sighed. “Especially because it’s about _me_.”

“What did you do to raise such a ruckus?”

“Well, I don’t suppose it would hurt to tell you,” Fíli mused. He looked up at his uncle’s cousin. “Kíli and I are having a contest. He thinks he’s as brave as I am, but I said he isn’t, so we’re both going to sleep alone for the next three nights. Whoever loses nerve is the coward.”

Dwalin pursed his lips and didn’t speak for a long while. When at last he did, his voice was quiet. “...You may want to be careful about that, laddie.”

Fíli was about to ask him what he meant when he heard Kíli’s voice say, “Ah, hello, Fee! How was your hunting trip?”

Dwalin and Fíli turned to see Kíli standing behind them. Suspicion crept into Fíli’s mind when he saw the strange smile on Kíli’s face, but he still answered cautiously, “It was fine.”

“That’s great!” Kíli chirped sprightly, causing even Dwalin to raise an eyebrow. “So,” Kíli continued. “I was just talking with Óin, and you know what? He’s been reading the portents, and it says that tonight there’s going to be a complete solar eclipse! Isn’t that wonderful?”

Fíli gulped. Solar eclipses meant thoroughgoing darkness.

Apparently his worried expression was visible to Kíli, for he raised his eyebrows and said in mock surprise, “What, are you afraid of the dark? If you are,” he added nonchalantly, brushing imaginary dust from his coat, “you could always, you know...back out.”

Fíli grit his teeth. “Never.”

Kíli looked up again, a grin spreading on his face. “Good. I would hate to see you lose in such a humiliating manner.”

A blush bloomed in Fíli’s cheeks. “I won’t lose!” he barked furiously.

“Oh, we’ll see.”

“That’s enough now,” Dwalin cut in.

Kíli smiled smugly at Fíli. “Yes, I suppose it _is_ enough.” _Enough to make you very, very nervous_.


	4. Consideration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Óin gives Fíli some advice.

“Óin, you’re certain that the total eclipse is _tonight_?”

“I’ve told you ‘yes’ three times now, laddie,” Óin replied, not looking up from his work.

“But you’re absolutely sure?”

“For the fourth and last time,” Óin sighed in vexation, “the total eclipse is going to occur upon the night of November 3rd, which, if I’m am not mistaken, is _tonight_.” He turned around in his chair to scowl at the Prince. “Why is it so important?”

Fíli paused. “Alright...thank you.” He turned to escape, but Óin gripped his arm.

“Fíli, what’s wrong?” he asked. As Fíli opened his mouth for denial, Óin held up a finger. “No, no. Something’s wrong. You rarely ever come charging in here the way you’ve done today, demanding if the portents are accurate. Why today? Why’s it so important?”

“You ask too many questions,” Fíli mumbled as he was drawn away from the door.

“I’m a doctor,” Óin replied briskly. “It’s what I do.”

He sat down in his chair as Fíli hoisted himself onto the patient cot. After some persuasion, the Prince told Óin about that morning, the contest, his humiliation in front of Bofur, Glóin, and Nori, and Kíli’s devious expression as he told him about the eclipse.

 Once he had concluded Óin mused, “As for the hunting trip, I can go yell at my brother for a while if that’s what you want. But as for the rivalry between you and Kíli, I think it must be made to rights.” He looked carefully at Fíli. “I’m not saying I like the whoever-backs-out-is-a-coward bit, but the contest seems to be a good idea.”

Fíli breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.” He went to get up, but Óin stopped him.

“One last thing. You must remember, laddie,” Óin said, his face completely serious, “that Kíli is, _and always will be_ , your brother. If you win, if you declare him a coward, there might be a rift in your relationship that will take a very long time to repair.”

“What if he declares me a coward?” Fíli asked uncertainly.

“What if he does?” Óin repeated. “What would _you_ feel?”

“Anger. Defeat. Disappointment.”

“Yes. Right now, Kíli’s trying to prove himself to you, and perhaps to everyone else as well. Kind of like you on that hunting trip. And because he is younger, those feelings of anger, defeat, and disappointment would probably be amplified twofold. But now I have a question for you, Fíli. What if no one backs out?”

Fíli was so perplexed by this notion that he sat there for a long time, even after Óin had returned to his work. He’d never considered that before. If they both endured all three nights in seclusion, neither one would lose. Neither one would win. Or would they both win?

Fíli’s head started to hurt, so he walked slowly back to his mother’s tent. He was surprised and saddened to find that Dís and Thorin were still arguing, so he wandered about, trying to find a place to lie down.

When at last he found an empty tent, Fíli curled up inside and instantly fell asleep. But when he stirred, he saw Kíli standing above him, arms crossed.

“This is _my_ tent.”


	5. Corrupt Composition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin remembers an argument he had with his own brother, while Dwalin looks on.

Reverting to Khuzdûl, Thorin asked his cousin, _“You know about it?”_

 _“Yes,”_ Dwalin affirmed in like tongue. _“Fíli explained everything to me.”_

 _“And Kíli to me,”_ Thorin agreed. He began to pace along the inside of the tent. _“I don’t know what to do about it, Amagur._ _I just don’t know. The boys are going to damage their relationship with this...this...conflict. They love each other; of course they do, but seeing which one of them is the bigger coward? It’s ludicrous! And dangerous to their spirits.”_

Dwalin was slightly startled by the fact that Thorin had used his Dwarven name; it just went to show how troubled the Prince truly was. _“You can’t fret, Thorin. Do you know, fretting is actually anger that you cannot control the situation?”_

Thorin scowled. _“I don’t mean to fret...I’m just worried about the boys. They don’t know what this sort of thing can do to relationships.”_

_“Like you and...Frerin?”_

Thorin grimaced. Dwalin knew him too well. _“Yes. When I won the bet we’d made, Frerin was so angry. It was days and days before he spoke to me again, and even then it was to tell me that by winning, I’d only proved that I had no integrity. He believed that I had cheated. Even though I didn’t, I regretted everything we had done.”_

Dwalin paused. He wasn’t sure how he should respond. _“I’m sorry,”_ he came up with at last.

Thorin shook his head. _“You’ve no reason to be sorry.”_

The conversation came to a standstill there. The two Dwarves pondered each other’s words, letting them sink into the deep recesses of their minds.

Thorin knew that Dwalin was right. He was angry that he could not control the situation. He wished he could explain to Fíli and Kíli just how painful these sorts of things could be. He hadn’t told Dwalin all that Frerin had said. Thorin could still remember his brother’s eyes, ignited with an icy fire.

 _“You don’t honor family. All you care about is yourself:_ your _pride,_ your _honor,_ your _well-being! You’re selfish! It goes to show you should never be on the throne!” Frerin declared angrily as he stalked away, leaving Thorin to gape at his back._

Thorin felt the pain coming back, twisting his heart until it was raw. He didn’t want to break down. He couldn’t; not until he was alone.

Dwalin had heard something in his cousin’s tone—there was something else Frerin had said. Dwalin wasn’t certain he wanted to know what it was. Thorin was very precise and descriptive; therefore he must have a good reason for secreting what other words had been exchanged. As Dwalin discretely studied Thorin’s face, he thought that perhaps it was a trick of the light, but those icy blue eyes looked like they were glassy with tears. And staring at those blue pools reminded him of Fíli.

In truth, Dwalin wished that he could have had a chance to speak longer with Fíli. When Kíli had walked up, Dwalin had swallowed his disappointment, but now he had all the time in the world to consider what he could have said.

He had seen Kíli’s self-assured countenance as he pranced away, and Fíli’s worried one as he dashed away. This dance the brothers were composing was corrupt, but, for Dwalin, there was nothing he could do but stand by and watch how it played out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin's true name is Amagur, which means "the bear". I mean, c'mon, he's HUGE.


	6. Commencement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The challenge begins...

“I didn’t know it was yours,” Fíli mumbled, sitting up. “Sorry.”

“If you want a tent, build your own, because I made this one myself,” Kíli announced. _With Uncle’s help,_ he added mentally, but he wasn’t about to say that aloud.

“It’s very good,” Fíli remarked. “Very...comfortable.” He grinned sleepily up at his brother, but Kíli didn’t share his relaxed attitude.

“It’s almost evening, so if you want to win, you’d better get ready,” he said sharply.

Fíli’s smile faded. “Kee, I’ve been thinking—”

“You’ve been _sleeping_!” Kíli corrected.

“Just listen,” Fíli sighed, standing to be level with his brother’s eyes. “I’ve been thinking, and...maybe...this isn’t such a good idea.”

Kíli’s brow furrowed in confusion. “ _What_ isn’t a good idea?”

“This game between us. See,” Fíli tried to explain, “what if neither of us backs out? Who will be the coward then?”

Kíli’s long nose scrunched up, as it did when he was trying to comprehend something challenging. “Neither of us,” he said at last.

“Exactly. So what’s the point?”

“Are you...are you trying to confuse me?” Kíli demanded. “Because if you are—well, it’s working.”

Fíli very nearly laughed, but managed to restrain himself. “No, I’m not trying to confuse you. I’m just saying, if you don’t want to go through with this—” Fíli bit his tongue so hard it started bleeding. He’d just ruined everything.

Kíli’s eyes caught fire. “If _I _don’t want to go through with this?!” he shouted. “I should have known! You’re tricky, Fee. But not tricky enough! Get out!”__

“Kíli, that’s not what I meant!” Fíli started, but Kíli would hear none of it. In a moment of daring he seized Fíli’s collar and shoved him out of the tent.

Fíli heaved a heavy sigh as he stumbled to his feet and dusted himself off. Ama often said he had great eloquence of speech (for a Dwarf) except when it came to talking with his brother. Now he saw the truth of her words.

“It’s not going to work, Mahal,” Fíli spoke to the sky. “He won’t listen. At least I can say I tried. I guess now I’m just going to have to play the game.”

He wandered the camp, searching for supplies to build a tent. Fíli was soon dismayed to find that there were no things to spare. He watched the sky darken, simmering like the pot of stew that was cooking for supper. Kíli had taken the last of the supplies and left him with nothing!

As his brother strolled by to get his bowl of soup, Fíli grabbed him by the arm, halting him. “You knew all along,” he hissed.

“Knew what?” Kíli said, not meeting his gaze.

“You knew you were taking all that was left to make a tent,” Fíli spat. “If that’s the way you want to be, I’ll sleep outside.”

“That’s your preference,” Kíli replied breezily, looking at him at last. “Unless you want to drop out of the match.” A smirk was playing at the corners of his lips.

Fíli gave Kíli a withering glare and released his arm. He watched his brother get his supper and realized suddenly that the sky was swiftly darkening. The eclipse was approaching.

Fíli leapt to his feet, hastily took a few blankets and a pillow from his mother’s tent, and began searching the ground for the most comfortable spot. As he curled up, he saw a few of the others giving him curious glances, but he turned his back on them and burrowed deeper into his downy cave.

The camp soon settled down for the night. Fíli watched as the sky continued to darken, and suddenly all was pitch black around him. Fíli cursed himself for overlooking the need of a lantern, and his stomach began to growl, for he’d forgotten supper too.

Fíli gave a small groan. He could feel large rocks digging into his side, and the cold numbed him, even with his boots and coat on. He involuntarily began to shiver, and jealousy of Kíli made the cramps of his abdomen even worse.

As his grip on consciousness at last began to slip Fíli mumbled, “Kíli in his warm tent. I’ll show him...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, I've taken the liberty of letting a total eclipse last much longer in Middle Earth than it does in real life. Usually they last about seven minutes, often less, but in Middle Earth, you never know how long it could be. *evil laugh* ;p


	7. Craven Cries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After suffering a nightmare, Kíli becomes terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: I kind of got chills when writing this. 
> 
> For some reason this story is becoming progressively darker, and I don't like it. I'll try to get back to a more cheerful note in the chapters to come.

_He feels icy sweat trailing down his temples, feels the hair standing on his arms and neck._

_His breath comes in short, shuddering gasps; his lungs are still not satisfied, for the air he gives them is rusty and filled with the scent of blood._

_No matter how large his pupils dilate, he cannot see. His legs tremble as his feet edge forward, trying to find a hard surface. Solid ground..._

_All at once, a chill prickles up his spine._

_Someone is with him—stalking him._

_Fear. It seeps its way into his soul, stalling all rational thinking._

_And then, when he sees the teeth lunging at him, he tries to scream, but the sharp pain sinking into his neck forbids it._

_Death is a strange thing. He has never before known such pain._

Kíli lurched wildly, sitting up. He fumbled about for his lantern and quickly lit it, relieved to see the inside of his tent. Kíli put his hand to his waist. His dagger was missing. When he looked about for it, he was astonished to find it sticking from the thick wooden post nearby. Had he done that?

In that moment, Kíli remembered his nightmare and felt dread trickle through his veins. Can he be sure that it was a nightmare? Or was it real?

“Of c-course it’s not real,” Kíli whispered. “It was all a dream. And the solar eclipse will end soon...I hope...”

It was then that something moaned in the night. Kíli went rigid, brown eyes wide. The moan came again, mournful and desolate.

 _Is that a warg?_ Kíli thought frantically. _Or something else? What_ —

The wind picked up at that moment, adding its chorus to the strange sound. Kíli gripped the edge of his blanket so tightly his knuckles turned white. He suddenly found himself wanting his Ama, and uncle, and brother. He wanted to be curled up among them, their comforting warmth and unspoken peace wrapping itself around him tighter than any blanket could.

The flap on his tent shuddered, and Kíli could almost imagine claws wrapping around its edge.

“It’s not real,” he whimpered. “It’s not real.”

As he huddled there, trembling, Kíli tried to block out all the disturbing images that were surfacing in his mind. Old stories of Goblin ghosts and undead Orcs, which had never before scared him, now began to terrorize him.

And in that moment, Kíli remembered something else, something that very nearly brought a scream bubbling from behind his lips. His _only brother_ was out there. Somewhere.


	8. Crawlers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fíli has a disturbing experience with a creepy-crawly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You just gotta have the "CREATURE OF THE NIGHT", right?

Fíli groaned painfully, curling into himself as his aches and pains brought him out of sleep. The wind joined his lamenting, forming a sorrowful duet that carried through the night air.

“Angels and ministers of grace defend me and my poor bones,” Fíli muttered, sitting up to crack his stiff back. As he widened his eyes in a fruitless attempt to see, he again wished for a lantern.

All at once, he could see his shadow, cast by a flickering light from behind. Fíli was very surprised; was he still dreaming? Was he imagining that his wish had come true? He turned his head to see a faint glow coming from a familiar tent—his brother’s.

Fíli felt the jealousy rush over him all over again. “This isn’t fair. I’m braver than him. I know I am, because while I’m out here starving on the hard ground in the cold, he’s in there with his lantern and his blankets and—” The wound in his tongue was unkindly reopened as soon as he heard the sound. His eyes raced along the ground. Where was it? There!

A viper was slithering past him. By the light coming from Kíli’s tent, Fíli could just barely see its red and yellow markings. Fíli sat frozen, watching the snake’s every move. This was one of the most deadly snakes known, at least to Dwarf kind. Its fangs could break even the toughest hide, and its venom would down two Dwalin-sized Dwarves at once.

Fíli quivered as the serpent slowly made its way over the rocks. If he reached out his hand, he could touch its shiny scales—that’s how close it was.

 _Stay absolutely still!_ Fíli’s mind shrieked. _Don’t let it see you!_ He never hesitated for an instant to obey this command. He watched it pass, watched as it disappeared into a hole a few yards away.

As soon as the tip of its tail had vanished, Fíli clasped his trembling hands. “Praise Mahal for Kíli and his lantern,” he gasped out. He was so shaken by his experience that he couldn’t even think of going back to sleep.

It was then that the lantern flickered out. Fíli was startled by the sudden darkness. It was worse than closing his eyes, for it was almost tangible, oozing into the back of his throat and forming a lump that made it hard to swallow.

 _What if it comes back?!_ Fíli was suddenly reminded of a story he’d once heard. A queen was traveling alone through this area of the Blue Mountains, and when she went to sleep, a snake preyed upon her. Her body had morphed, and she’d become a Queen Snake. Word was she still roamed the Mountains, searching to eat a supper of Dwarflings who didn’t behave.

Whenever the story was told Fíli had dismissed it, for he was a decent fellow and therefore wasn't in any danger of being eaten. But with the way he’d been acting towards Kíli...would the Queen Snake come after him? Was she slipping her way towards him at this very moment?

Fíli leapt to his feet, and his legs were so weak with fear that they almost didn’t hold him.

 _What was supposed to scare her away?_ For the life of him Fíli couldn’t remember! A whimper caught in his throat, but he pressed it down.

“The legend says she wants to eat a supper of Dwarflings,” Fíli whispered to the darkness. “ _A supper_. It’s probably about midnight, I’d say. W-Who would be eating supper at this hour?”

 _The Queen Snake would,_ his mind cackled, and another bout of shaking brought the Dwarf to his knees.

Fíli’s heart was pounding wildly in his ears, but it didn’t seem to be doing its job, for there seemed no blood coursing through his veins, and Fíli had long since forgotten how to breathe. This was but one night in the unknown. How was he to last _three_?


	9. Caucus

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin, Dwalin, and Óin compare notes on Fíli and Kíli.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to update, but here it is!

Thorin looked up from his breakfast the next morning when he heard a strange noise. He couldn’t see whatever had hissed at him; the sky was still very dark. However, the flickering light of a lantern appeared, allowing Thorin to see Óin and Dwalin gesturing discreetly for him to follow. They led him to a private spot, and for a moment the three looked at each other curiously. Then they began to whisper.

“Where are they?” Thorin asked anxiously.

“I don’t know,” Dwalin replied. “I checked in Kíli’s tent earlier this morning, but he wasn’t there. Haven’t seen him or Fíli.”

Óin added, “They didn’t get their breakfast, but if they’re hungry enough—which young boys usually are—they’ll turn up soon.”

The brothers were true to Óin’s prediction. They came from separate ways, but eventually they both found themselves at the pot of porridge bubbling over the campfire.

“So...” Kíli said, his voice hoarse with sleeplessness. “How was your night, Fee?”

“Just swell,” Fíli mumbled, picking up the porridge-laden spoon in his bowl and almost missing his mouth. He hadn’t slept for any longer than a half-hour last night.

“Good to hear.”

Thenceforth the brothers ate in silence, their movements slow and lethargic; they didn’t see Thorin, Dwalin, and Óin unabashedly watching them. At last they crept away and stood in a small huddle, speaking once again in hushed voices.

“They’re exhausted,” Thorin agonized. His worry would have amused his companions had it not been genuine.

“Either they’ll give up tonight,” Dwalin said softly, “or they’ll thrash themselves trying to last the entire thing.”

“It’s not right,” Óin murmured. “They have no need to do this to themselves or each other.”

“My nephews are just as stubborn as their mother,” Thorin sighed. “They’d rather thrash themselves than give up.”

“If they need to learn the hard way, that’s how they’ll learn,” Dwalin grunted gruffly. Thorin reluctantly nodded his agreement; Óin remained silent.

“Someone needs to keep an eye on them,” Thorin decided. “Someone inconspicuous, who can simply slip away without Fíli and Kíli’s notice.”

Dwalin gnawed on his lower lip as he thought, and then he nodded slowly. “Bifur. He’s very stealthy when he’s hunting.”

“But he’s _not_ inconspicuous,” Óin pointed out. It was true; Bifur, with his slightly crazed eyes and a rusty axe-blade in his forehead, was not particularly good at staying unobserved.

“Their senses are dulled because they didn’t sleep well,” Dwalin argued. “If Bifur is quiet enough, they won’t even see him. They didn’t see us just now!”

Thorin nodded hastily. “Fine, whatever needs to be done. Dwalin, talk to Bifur and see if this will work. Óin, you watch them until Bifur takes over.”

Nods secured the plan, and they walked together back toward camp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fretful adults are so fun to write! :D


	10. Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dwalin includes Bifur in their scheme. Kíli and Fíli have no clue who this freaky Dwarf is, or why he is watching them.

Bifur was deeply engrossed in his faraway wooden creation world. He’d been working for a long while by lantern light, carving a magnificent phoenix for a collection his cousin Bombur admired. He planned on giving the entire set to him when his birthday came. Bombur liked collecting little odds and ends, especially Bifur’s figurines. He had a special box that those went into, and he—

Bifur completely lost his momentum and train of thought when he felt a large hand clamp onto his shoulder. He startled, almost shearing off the phoenix’s wing. When he looked up, he saw Dwalin standing behind him, the lantern light casting strange shadows across the giant Dwarf’s face.

Dwalin spoke quietly, so Bifur had to strain his ears to hear him. “ _Follow me,_ ” he said in Khuzdûl, picking up the light.

Bifur nodded and reluctantly set down his carving. As Dwalin pulled him toward the outskirts of the camp, Bifur wondered what the problem could be.

Once they were out of earshot of everyone, Bifur posed the question. “ _What’s wrong?_ ”

Bifur’s Khuzdûl was broken and lurching, and rather than try to explain verbally, Dwalin began to speak in iglishmêk, the Dwarven sign-language.

“ _Last night, did you see Prince Fíli sleeping outside?_ ”

“ _No, but my boys mentioned it,_ ” Bifur replied quickly in like-fashion. It took a moment for Dwalin to comprehend that Bifur’s boys were Bofur and Bombur. Dwalin felt a strange unhappiness when Bifur spoke of his young cousins in this way. Thorin called Fíli and Kíli his boys...

He pushed this thought away and signed out, “ _Thorin has a job he wants you to do._ ”

Bifur’s head cocked in confusion. “ _Job?_ ” he repeated the gesture. Dwalin nodded in confirmation, and Bifur’s brows knit. “ _Why me?_ ”

“ _Never mind that now. All he wants is for you to keep an eye on his nephews, see if they start acting strange or such. You can report in with me a few times as needed,_ ” Dwalin explained.

Bifur had a blank expression on his face. “ _Report...strangeness?_ ” he reiterated curiously.

Dwalin was doing his very, very best to be patient with his friend. “ _Yes. If you saw them acting strangely, you would have to let me or Thorin or Óin know. The question is: will you do it?_ ”

Bifur seemed to hesitate for a moment, and then nodded slowly.

Dwalin rewarded him with a rare grin. “ _Well, then, Mr. Bifur, your—‘contract’, if you will—starts now. Go on. You can take the lantern. See, there they are sitting by the fire. All you need to do is look after them._ ”

Bifur grunted something that Dwalin wasn’t quite able to translate and then marched off. Dwalin watched him leave. To Dwalin’s slight disbelief, Bifur seized a lantern and then unabashedly plopped down next to the princes.

Dwalin began to worry his lower lip. He hadn’t remembered to tell Bifur to keep the watching _inconspicuous_. He tried to convince himself that it would be alright, but he wasn’t quite sure it truly would be.

 _You were the one who suggested him to Thorin,_ Dwalin reminded himself stubbornly. _Bifur can completely be trusted. He’ll do what is told to him._ But would he have the intuition to do what had _not_ been told to him? That was the troubling question.

Fíli was rather surprised when one of the Dwarves he didn’t know sat down with him and Kíli by the fire and grinned like they were year-old friends. Fíli gave his brother a glance, his golden brows raised questioningly. Kíli returned the look and focused on the stranger. The Dwarf just smiled sweetly at him, and Kíli’s brown eyes slid back toward Fíli. When his elder brother shrugged ever so slightly, Kíli began to wonder exactly what this odd, nameless Dwarf was doing.


	11. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fíli and Kíli face their new shadow head-on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, sorry it took so long!!

“He’s still back there,” Kíli hissed, risking a glance over his shoulder to see the Dwarf who he and his brother had labeled their own personal stalker.

Fíli’s lips barely moved as he said under his breath, “And the strange thing is that he doesn’t seem to mind that we know he’s following us.”

“Well, how do we get rid of him?”

“You’re asking me? I don’t even know who he is, much less why he’s hounding us.”

Kíli had another thought. He glanced at his brother and whispered, “Do you think he’ll come into my tent tonight so he can stalk me then, too?”

“Kíli, you’re dramatizing this too much. Here, let me do this.”

“Do what...?” Kíli gave a gasp as Fíli confidently turned to face the prowler. The Dwarf stopped, and his head cocked in what seemed like confusion.

Fíli crossed his arms in what was a rather authoritative manner. “Alright, mister. You’ve been following us all morning, and I want to know why.”

The stalker blinked innocently. When he saw Fíli wasn’t budging, he nodded slowly, clasping his hands in front of him. His brows knit, and he began to speak in an unsure voice.

“ _Fundinul iglishmêk—burk-bund nul-u-mênu,_ ” he said falteringly.

Fíli stared at him, blankly. “I only understand modern Khuzdûl,” he stammered.

The other Dwarf gave a small sigh. Lifting the lantern he carried so it would illuminate his face, he brushed away the coarse black hair from his forehead. The Durin Heirs gaped at the rusty axe blade buried in his skull.

“What happened to you?” Kíli asked in awe, taking a step away. The Dwarf’s amber brown eyes narrowed. He dropped the lantern on the ground and instantly melted into the darkness.

“Wait!” Fíli cried, but there was no answer. He shared a look with Kíli, and then slowly bent down and picked up the light.

The brothers continued along their path, each processing the strange encounter.

“What do you think put that axe in his head?” Kíli asked finally. “And what did that old Khuzdûl mean?”

“I really don’t know,” Fíli sighed. “The axe looked Orcish...” He trailed off. “Well, he’s not following us anymore, so I don’t suppose it matters.”

Kíli swallowed uneasily. “He could still be following us. He has such dark hair and skin, he could be right behind us and we wouldn’t know it.”

“Thanks, Kee. That’s _exactly_ what I want to be thinking about,” Fíli replied sarcastically.

Kíli glared at him. “I’m just saying.”

“Well, don’t!” Fíli snapped. “You’re always overreacting and making such a fuss of things.”

“Me? You were the one who started this whole competition nonsense!” Kíli shouted. “You don’t call that making a fuss?”

“No, I call it preserving my honor,” Fíli snarled.

Kíli laughed coldly. “What honor? I didn't know you had any honor.”

“You little—” Fíli sputtered.

“What? I’ll let you say it to my face!” Kíli declared. Quick as a flash he knocked the lantern out of Fíli’s hands. The glass shattered and with a poof the light went out. “But first you have to find me!”

Fíli stood frozen, hardly daring to move. He could no longer see anything, and Kíli was gone.

 _But he could be right behind me, and I wouldn’t know it,_ Fíli thought frantically. Gulping, he tried to keep his voice from wavering as he called out, “Kíli?” There was no answer. “Listen, Kíli, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean what I said! Where are you?”

Bifur drew near to the source of the terrified, childlike voice that sounded nothing like it had before. Reaching out blindly, he tried to find Fíli’s shoulder.

Fíli felt something touch the back of his neck, and he gave a piercing scream, bolting forward like a frighted pony. He tripped over something, slipped on something else, but he didn’t stop. At last he dropped to the ground and sat in a huddle, shivering.

Bifur, meanwhile, was rather confused too, not to mention Kíli, wandering about and wishing he’d not broken the lantern at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation for Bif's Khuzdûl:  
> "Son of Fundin iglishmêk--axe-head path of you"
> 
> The poor guy was basically trying to say:  
> "The son of Fundin told me in iglishmêk that I was to follow you."


	12. Conclave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorin, Dwalin, and Dís have a talk.

“Have you seen—?”

“No.” Dwalin cut off Thorin’s question. “They went off with Bifur a few hours ago, and they haven’t returned.”

“He’s watching them?”

“Yes, but I...” Dwalin sucked in a breath. It was hard admitting when he did something wrong, but at last he let it out. “I think I forgot to tell him to keep it secret. He wasn’t very discreet when he started following them.”

Thorin’s mouth twisted in a deep frown. “They probably left to escape him,” Thorin commented, and something in his tone made Dwalin cringe inside. He could hear the reproach behind his words: _“Dwalin, you bungled it.”_ And when one knew Thorin was reproaching you and he didn’t have to say a single word to sound like it—that was some of the worst punishment Thorin could devise.

Dwalin let the faintest sigh escape his lips. “I’m sorry, Thorin. I did what I thought to be right.” Thorin had to look up slightly to meet his eyes, but Dwalin saw, with relief, that there was a slight softening.

“I don’t mean to be judgmental. Perhaps we should go look for them near the—”

“Thorin!” a voice called out. The duo turned to see Dís coming toward them, the lines carved between her brows darkened and thickened by the flickering shadows of her lamp. “Where are my lads?” Dís asked impatiently. “I know you were watching them earlier when they were eating, and now they’re gone. Did you send them somewhere?”

 _Again she’s accusing me..._ Thorin pressed his eyes closed to swallow his anger. “No, Dís, I didn’t send them anywhere. They left on their own accord.”

Dís laughed derisively. “Well, that’s very comforting, Highness. Also, who was that wild-eyed Dwarf following them? Was he your spy or something?”

The muscles in Thorin’s neck tensed, and Dwalin spoke quietly.

“My lady, we were just discussing the lads, and we’re planning to start a search for them as soon as we can. This game they’re playing has us all a bit perturbed, but I promise Thorin’s doing all he can for them.”

Dís stared at him. “‘My lady’?” she echoed in surprise. “Dwalin, you never call me—”

Dwalin gazed steadily back at her. “If you are no longer on first-name basis with your own brother, who am I to call you anything but ‘my lady’?”

Dís stuttered a few times, and then fell silent. She _had_ said ‘Highness’ rather mockingly...she glanced at Thorin, who was still desperately trying to keep his control, and understood.

The Princess was quiet for a long while, and at last she burst out, “I’m sorry, Thorin, for being cross with you. I just don’t know what I can do. This whole situation is stressing me out!”

Thorin nodded slowly. “I know. That aside, did you see the direction in which they left?”

Dís shook her head. “All I know is that they took a light, and that odd Dwarf went with them.”

“Bifur,” Dwalin cut in. At Dís's raised eyebrow he admitted, “I asked him to look after the boys.”

“And he’s capable?”

“I believe so.”

“Well, then,” Dís sighed, “at least he’ll make sure they don’t get into trouble.”


	13. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kíli tries to get his bearings.

Kíli grunted painfully as he tripped over a root and landed hard on his stomach.

 _By Mahal, why did I break the lamp?_ he asked himself as he staggered to his feet. _This is just great. Here I am alone, tripping over things I can’t see. For all I know I could be heading off the edge of a cliff!_

As soon as this thought entered his mind, Kíli stiffened, and his feet halted. He hadn’t taken into account the dangers of the darkness until just now. Suddenly all he could think of was what might befall him if he wasn’t found soon.

Kíli considered shouting for help, but instantly rejected that idea. Orcs had been seen in the Blue Mountains lately, and if he were to draw attention to himself—

 _Orcs!_ Kíli’s hand went to his waist, and his pulse quickened when he realized that he’d left the camp weaponless. But when he’d left Fee had been with him; he hadn’t expected anything to happen...

“You’re a fool, Kíli,” the Dwarf growled. “How could you be such a fool?”

He had to find Fíli, or perhaps that other Dwarf. Kíli shuddered. He’d rather not see that one again, but it was better than running into an Orc.

“Fee?” he called softly. “Are you here? Can you hear me? Can anyone hear me? Hello?” Kíli swallowed uneasily. He didn’t know the name of that other Dwarf; what was he supposed to call him? He couldn’t go around calling ‘where are you, my personal stalker?’ into the air.

Slowly he turned in a circle, hoping that he was heading back the way he’d come, back toward the camp. Never did it enter Kíli’s mind to stay still until he was found. Kíli was thankful to find that he was not walking off the edge of a cliff, and he began to think that he was going in the right direction.

All of a sudden, he heard something scurry past him. He whirled, and in his mind he was screaming at himself for leaving without a weapon. At the very least he could have brought his multipurpose knife-saw.

Kíli hugged himself, trying to keep warm. The wind was picking up, howling through the trees and biting into his skin.

“Wait,” Kíli whispered, finding comfort in speaking aloud. “The wind...through the trees...which means I’m not that far from camp. I’m probably in the forest just beyond the camp limits!” Relief  spread through him. “Alright then. I’ve been in here before; there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

With a deep breath the prince began to walk once again, with confidence this time. He paid no heed to the noises around him, blowing them off as little woodland animals. Kíli was almost feeling good enough to start humming when he heard a growl that could not have come from any little animal.

Kíli squinted nervously into the surrounding darkness, listening anxiously, trying to figure out where the noise had originated. Another growl came, from behind him. He turned, and an odor he’d not smelled before came to him. Kíli very nearly gagged, but his fear stifled it. Though he didn’t recognize the scent, he distinguished the menace behind it. Whatever it was smelled of death.

Kíli’s nightmare returned to him in full force as a harsh snarl sounded, and Kíli whirled and ran. The wind rushed past his ears as he dashed away. With a howl the creature bounded in pursuit. Kíli’s breath turned ragged, and sweat began pouring down his face. He tripped and rolled down an embankment, slashing his arms and face, but returned to his feet immediately. Life depended on the strength and speed of his feet.


	14. Cornered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who hunts the huntsman?

Bifur gave a soft yelp as something sharp stabbed through the worn sole of his boot and into his foot. Sitting on the ground, he fumbled in the darkness to remove his footwear. Gingerly he touched the jagged item embedded in his foot and sighed. From the feel of it, the object was the smooth pane glass used for lanterns. He’d gone in a great circle and ended up back where the younger prince had broken the light.

 _Gajut men, Fundinul_ , Bifur sent a silent message to his friend Dwalin. The son of Fundin had trusted the lads to him, and he’d not reacted quick enough to stop Kíli from doing something foolish.

Irritated and weary, Bifur yanked the glass from his foot and hurled it away. He removed one of his stockings and bound the gash, replaced his boot, and continued on.

Why couldn’t things be simpler for him? Bifur paused, and tentatively touched the rusty metal that stood in such contrast to his soft black hair alongside. Bifur found himself blinking hard. His vision was poor enough in this darkness without tears.

Bifur always did his best and yet it never seemed to be enough. He had to halt again to compose himself, dragging in deep breaths and letting them out slowly. He wasn’t helpless. He could do this. In fact he had to; if Dwalin found out...or the Prince and Princess...Bifur gulped, and began searching with more vigor than before.

His search for Fíli and Kíli continued fruitlessly. Bifur had lost all account of time; he could have been searching for hours. It felt that way. His injured foot was begging him to halt, but the sticky, warm blood went ignored.

All at once Bifur heard a small sound, and his head jerked up. His eyes narrowed, and his hand went to the boar spear strapped to his back. Something was stalking him. Now that he was paying attention, Bifur was certain he heard breathing, and a scent reached him that made his skin crawl. Bifur recognized this smell.

When he’d first been wounded by the Orcs, this scent had constantly remained with him, no matter how his lads had scrubbed the axe remains. And now here it was again, as strong as it once was. This meant one thing: those vile creatures were here, and they were after him again.

In an instant Bifur was in a defensive stance, spear held before him. His heart was throbbing in his chest, but it was not out of fear. No, he did not fear these creatures. He hated them. Right now his rage was great, but not blinding. Bifur had been taken blind once—it would not happen again.

Bifur could sense them closing in, but they did not rush him. The creatures were biding their time; they likely had an archer preparing to shoot him. Orcs were renowned for their eyes in the dark. After all, they had once been Elves and still had that keen eyesight.

Bifur knew he had to draw them from their hiding places. A plan quickly formed in his mind. A sudden outburst would throw them off guard. Never hesitating, Bifur drew in his breath and bellowed in a thunderous voice.

“ _Zâgad_ _Rakhâs! Khazâd ai-mênu!_ ” With that, he lunged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdûl Translations:
> 
> Gajut men, Fundinul. = Forgive me, son of Fundin.
> 
> Zâgad Rakhâs! Khazâd ai-mênu! = Murderous Orcs! The Dwarves are upon you!


	15. Chains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fíli can sense the creature's maw closing in around him...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a rather short one, but I hope you all like it! :)

Fíli wandered for a long, long time, listening to his own ragged breaths. He had _always_ hated the dark. Even as a babe as soon as Dís had blown out the candle in his room Fíli would scream and cry until she lit it again. To Fíli, the darkness wasn’t just murk and shadow. It was a creature, an anti-light that would wrap its maw about him in an attempt to erase him from existence.

And now he was here, in this dark void of solitude, completely and thoroughly alone in a burning blackness.

The substance and pressure of the darkness was so heavy, chaining itself to Fíli like gravity itself, weighing down his feet. Every hair stood on end because of the dread chills prickling up his spine. Fíli’s terror brought tears to his eyes, and he sank onto the ground as he had a while before, hugging himself against the icy wind.

“Kíli...I’m really sorry,” Fíli whimpered. “Why didn’t I just let you come along on that hunt? You’re not a tagalong; I know that now. If we get out of this I promise I’ll let you win the bet. I don’t even care anymore!” He put his head on his knees and closed his eyes, trying to steady his shuddering breaths.

Fíli’s head jerked up, and the uneasy slumber he’d taken vanished in an instant. Had he heard something in the distance? As Fíli listened carefully he felt a fearful shudder run through him.  A long, thunderous bellow echoed through the darkness, and then was joined by wild, maniacal screeching.

 _Are there Orcs out there? How close are they?!_ Fíli wondered in panic. He was bad at gauging distance of sound, and Fíli cursed himself for disregarding Thorin’s teaching in this skill. The only weapon Fíli had at present was a small dirk slipped into his boot. Would it be enough if the Orcs suddenly ambushed him?

Was their camp under attack? Fíli leapt to his feet, gasping as though he’d run twenty miles. What would happen to his mother and uncle, and everyone else? What if Kíli wandered into the chaos and one of those Orcs—?

Fíli remembered something Dwalin had once told him during his sword-training: “ _Fear_ has two meanings: ‘ _Forget Everything and Run_ ’ or ‘ _Face Everything and_ _Rise_ ’. The choice is yours, lad.”

The young Dwarf clenched his teeth and sucked in another deep breath, trying to calm himself. He reached down, wrapping his fingers around the handle of his dirk. He would go and fight, and he wouldn’t run. Shaking himself free of the heavy chains of dread, Fíli surged forward, following the screams through the void.


	16. Cover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kíli finds a place of refuge.

Kíli gulped in a breath and risked a glance over his shoulder. All he could see in the darkness were faintly glowing eyes, un-lidded, like a wild cat or snake. But the sounds the pursuing creature made were wolf-like—barks and snarls, and a roar that caused his insides to tremble.

Was this the dreaded Orc-mount that he’d heard legends of when he was little? Was this a warg? _If it is,_ Kíli surmised as he narrowly ducked a tree branch, _then it is far worse than all the tales!_

The warg howled, sending a chill through Kíli’s veins. Did the creature ever tire? Kíli’s head whirled, a sign that he was very near the point of breaking down. He stumbled, nearly falling, but managing to catch himself on a tree. He then had an idea.

Making a long bound and snapping at the air, the warg narrowly missed Kíli’s foot as he leapt onto the lower branches of the tree. He fumbled blindly about, searching for the higher branches. His weary limbs ached, and yet he forced himself to climb further.

When he was reasonably certain that he was a safe distance from the ground, Kíli sagged against the trunk, panting, trying to slow his heart rate down. He shuddered a bit as he heard irritated growls from below. How long would the creature wait for him? He could be sitting here for hours not knowing if it had gone or not.

 _Just be patient, listen carefully, and you’ll probably know when it leaves_ , Kíli told himself. Therefore he steadied himself on his branch and settled down to wait.

When he woke with a jolt, Kíli very nearly fell out of the tree. He couldn’t hold back a surprised yelp, and then he froze. Where was the warg? As the memories slowly returned to his mind Kíli ran his hands over the rough bark and took a deep breath. Everything was silent. It was probably safe to descend now.

He was just starting down when a wild shout startled him, causing him to lose his balance. With a cry of his own Kíli hit the ground hard and lay still, dazed and aching as waves of pain ran through his body. Groaning, he peeled himself from the ground and rubbed a swiftly growing knot on the back of his head.

Another cry from afar caught the young Dwarf’s attention. He listened with bated breath, and realized that the voice sounded like a Dwarf. Was that Fíli? He paid close attention, and when the voice shouted again Kíli cursed in disappointment. The voice was far too deep to be his brother’s. But still, if it truly was a Dwarf, when Kíli found him he would offer his assistance against the dark.

Mind made up, yet still cautious, Kíli crept forward toward the sounds, never thinking he might be heading unprepared into a battle.

 


	17. Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Bifur could see of him was a mop of golden hair, and pale, ghostly blue eyes shining in the light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence

Even in the midst of his anger Bifur almost was glad that the Orcs had come, for they had brought out lanterns and he could finally see through the perpetual darkness surrounding him. He fought well, easily taking off limbs and impaling vital organs. He was enjoying keeping up a count of the ones he’d killed.

Fifteen...As he slashed deeply into an abdomen Bifur grinned as he watched the body wilt.

Seventeen...Bifur somersaulted beneath a vicious swing and made a jab at the bladder.

Twenty-two...His spear punctured a lung, spurting, and Bifur couldn’t help but shout in triumph.

Then he heard a different voice from behind him. “Hey!” Bifur whirled, confused, and his eyes went wide. The elder of the princes was hiding in the shadows. All he could see of him was a mop of golden hair, and pale, ghostly blue eyes shining in the light.

“ _Dômiro,_ _mênu fundin_ _mên!_ ” Bifur gasped.

“Are you alright?” Fíli asked as he leapt to Bifur’s side.

“ _Gamut ai-mên_ ,” Bifur replied, double-reversing his boar spear and stabbing an Orc straight through.

By the bewildered look on the prince’s face Bifur could see that he hadn’t understood a word. Therefore Bifur simply nodded affirmation to his question and swept his foe off his feet, twirling his spear in the air and then slamming the blade into its throat. He took the Orc’s weapon and tossed it to the prince. It wouldn’t end well for him if he could fight only with a dagger.

Bifur and Fíli fought fiercely, but they were slowly and surely being cornered against the trees. Bifur saw Fíli panicking as his Orc sword was flung from his hand and he was seized by one of their foes. The Orc received Fíli’s dirk in his gut for the trouble, but a second one with crazed, wild movements drew his own knife and bore down on the prince.

Bifur hurled his boar spear into the Orc’s liver just as he was about to spring. He leapt forward and yanked it out. As Bifur turned, he saw an axe flying at him, just as it had many years ago. Time slowed; there was no way Bifur would get his spear out in time. He watched in terror as the axe came down—

There was a dreadful, harsh clanging sound as steel struck steel. The axe already embedded in Bifur’s skin had miraculously deflected the other’s movements. The Orc who had thrown it was viciously disemboweled immediately afterward.

As he somersaulted across the grassy forest floor Bifur saw in the periphery of his rolling vision the younger of the princes burst into view. “Fee!” his voice echoed in the clearing.

“No! Kíli, get out of here!” Fíli cried.

“ _Nalim! Fund khiluz khuhaj!_ ” roared Bifur. At Kíli’s expression of panicked confusion Bifur seized the collar of his coat and shoved him hard toward a lantern. Then he pointed into the distance, hopefully in the direction of the Dwarven camp. “ _Khiluz! Kheluz khuhaj!_ ” he shouted again. Understanding, Kíli seized the lantern and raced off. Some of the Orcs realized what Bifur had instructed and tried to pursue, but Fíli impeded their efforts and brought them down permanently.

Bifur had sent Kíli as a messenger to the rest of the Dwarves, as a living and breathing call for help. The call needed to be answered. Very, _very_ soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdûl:
> 
> Dômiro, mênu fundin* mên! = Prince*, you found me!  
> Gamut ai-mên = I am good  
> Nalim! Fund khiluz khuhaj! = Travel! Find strong warriors!  
> Khiluz! Kheluz khuhaj! = Family! Strong warriors!
> 
>  
> 
> *Prince = 'Dômiro' isn't used lightly for any prince, this word is specifically used for the crown prince.  
> *fundin = I was making no reference to Dwalin and Balin's father. the name 'Fundin' means 'found', and so I used it here in this context. I also took the liberty of assuming that the shortened 'fund' would be present and/or future tense, 'find'.  
> *Khuhaj = Another liberty I took was assuming that this could be used as both singular and plural in reference to 'warrior' and 'warriors'. 
> 
> Hope you liked this chapter! The next installment will hopefully be up soon!


	18. Conning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That was most definitely his name, and the names of many others who lived in their camp. Was this some terrible ruse to begin an ambush?

The muscles in Dwalin’s neck and shoulders were beginning coil like thick springs. This was a clear sign he was agitated, that along with his thunderous expression. Where in all of Arda had Bifur taken the princes?

Winding out of their camp across the mountainside was a lone dirt path which led into the woods. However, Dwalin couldn’t tell if they had taken that road or had gone cross-country through the brush and rocks. When his search of the off-road areas came up unrewarding, Dwalin strode down the marked trail, lantern in hand.

Dwalin peered into the darkness as he walked, softly calling the names of the three missing persons. He had to find them—people were counting on him. Dwalin had already had a private talk with both Thorin and Dís, and the thinly-veiled threats in their voices were enough to make even him be wary. Bifur’s cousins had also approached him with worried faces. When they’d heard the situation, Bofur had sunk down onto a stump and buried his head in his hands. Bombur, in turn, had latched onto the sleeve of Dwalin’s coat.

“Bring him back to us, Mister Dwalin,” he’d implored piteously. “He’s all we’ve got!”

Dwalin shivered as he remembered the distress shining in their eyes by the lantern light. Trying to shove the moment out of his mind Dwalin pressed on.

When he heard a crunch under his foot the Dwarf halted and crouched where he was. There on the ground Dwalin found many bits of glass, and a dented lamp shell. His pulse quickened as he realized that this was a storm lantern that could only have belonged to a Dwarf. Surely it was Bifur’s. But why had he dropped it?

As Dwalin looked up, he thought for an instant that he saw another lantern flash from the woods looming before him. He blinked, and the light was gone. Had he conjured it up with his worry and longing? Dwalin rose back to his feet, and watched the trees with intent focus. The light flickered again, for a single second.

Dwalin took a few tentative steps forward. He risked calling out. “Fíli? Kíli?” As he peered at the rapidly approaching lamp, Dwalin distinguished the make of it and his words caught in his throat. An Orc light!

Setting down his own lantern Dwalin drew his twin axes, Grasper and Keeper. How dare an Orc have the nerve approach their camp! He could even hear the cursed creature’s voice, calling out—

His name?

Dwalin was perplexed. How did the Orc know his name? Dwalin paid careful heed, and heard other names as well:

“Dori! Rhiliro! Allattas! Iodwi! Balin! Dwalin!”

That was most definitely _his_ _name_ , and the name of his brother, and the names of many others who lived in their camp. Was this some terrible ruse to begin an ambush?

Dwalin startled as someone burst from the trees. Grasper and Keeper clanged as they fell to the ground in their owner’s sudden spell of astonishment. That was most definitely not an Orc.

“Kíli! I’ve been searching forever, where on earth have you been?!”

“Never mind that!” Kíli yelped. “Call Uncle Thorin, call Mister Balin, call Óin and Glóin and Dori, call everyone! We’re under attack!”


	19. Capitulate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fíli's hand slackened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Khuzdûl:
> 
> Mê aglâb ogamut = My (spoken) language isn't good
> 
> When 'o' is used in front of a word it negates it.

Fíli narrowly ducked the wild swing of a scimitar that seemed to leave a short-lived rent in the air where it passed.

“Where’s Kíli?!” he shouted to his companion. “Do you think he’s got help?”

“ _Mê aglâb ogamut!_ ” was the only answer he received.

Fíli growled in exasperation. He kept forgetting that this other Dwarf didn’t—or couldn’t —speak Common. His questions would not be answered except by Kíli’s arrival with reinforcements. Fíli prayed that his little brother would arrive soon.

There wasn’t anything Fíli hated more than the dark except trying to do something active in the dark—like fighting. The lanterns helped, but the feral movements of the combatants often knocked them over or snuffed them out. The light was disappearing, and Fíli couldn’t help but think that he was up against more than the Orcs. He was up against the Dark. And his own fear.

As Fíli’s headless opponent crumbled, it freed Fíli’s view to watch his fellow Dwarf take on easily the hugest Orc that was there. The Orc was slower than the Dwarf, but he was far stronger. One misstep on his comrade’s part was all it would take for the Orc to smash him into a smudge on the ground.

The two danced for a few moments that seemed an eternity, and then the misstep was made. Fíli watched in horror as the Orc’s gigantic mace came crashing down. His friend’s knees buckled from the force of the blow, and Fíli’s eyes fixed on the blood. Dwarven blood, shining thick and dark in the light, trailing down its owner’s face into his beard. The Dwarf fell.

The Orc seized one of his lanterns, hurling it to the ground. The fire gnawed hungrily at the grass, enveloping the unmoving form in a wreath of flame. If he wasn’t dead already, he was going to burn.

Fíli was paralyzed. How had this happened? How had he gotten himself into this situation in the first place? As the scenes of the past days flashed before his eyes, Fíli knew it was his own pride and arrogance that had gotten him here; that had gotten Kíli here; that had gotten the axe-headed Dwarf, who now lay unconscious or dead, here.

Perhaps it would be better if Kíli got here too late. As the Orc turned toward him, glared down at him with hatred and contempt, Fíli swallowed around a lump of guilt and remorse in his throat. Before his mind could catch up, his body made a betraying decision. Fíli’s hand slackened.

As his dagger fell with a soft thump to the ground, the prince closed his eyes. Behind his eyelids, instead of the Orc’s hideous face, Fíli saw his brother. That was all he wanted to see before it ended.


	20. Contrition

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Death, death, death, death, death...

Dís saw the quickly spreading light among the trees and sprinted toward it. Her fist was locked around the handle of her mace, and she could feel the heat of her adrenaline warming the metal. Dís had one son back in her grasp, and she wasn’t about to lose the other.

Every time a battle was at hand, Dís felt a different side of her come to light. She could admit even to herself that she was argumentative, stubborn, and annoyed with someone most of the time. But when something imperiled her brother or her sons, stone and steel replaced her heart. She would _not_ be kind. She would _not_ be merciful. _At all_.

When it had first revealed itself, this demon had terrified Dís. She didn’t know what issues she had inside that caused her to feel this way, but as far as she knew there was nothing she could do about it. By this time she knew what to do. She would pacify the demon by letting it have its way in the fight, and then shove it back into a cage deep within her mind when it outlived its usefulness.

In her private considerations the demon’s name was Amtêkurdu—‘to steel the heart’. In this moment Amtêkurdu was rearing its ugly head, and Dís was certain what the fate of those who threatened Fíli would be. Her mind chanted it, eagerly, almost excitedly.

_Death, death, death, death, death..._

Dís reached the clearing, and saw the source of the light: fire. Shielding her face against the intense heat, Dís could make out a still form in the midst of the flames. That had to be Bifur, she realized. She couldn’t let him die. She prepared to spring into the clearing when suddenly she noticed the figure on the other side of the clearing.

 _Mahal, that Orc is huge!_ was her first thought, and then she saw her son, weaponless, eyes closed, head bowed, ready to be smashed.

 _Death, death, death, death, deathdeathdeathdeathdeath!_ Dís’s inner demon thundered, and she was a split second from throwing herself forward when someone else did instead.

Thorin, Dwalin, and Balin burst from the trees nearby, screaming their rage. The Orc didn’t know what was happening and was too stunned to react before they had him on the ground and were hacking him to death. Dori, Óin, and others arrived a split second later and shoved their way in to help. Dís was the tiniest bit disappointed, but her mind returned to Bifur.

With a deep breath she laid down her mace and lunged, rolling and throwing off her fire-licked cloak. Carefully Dís maneuvered her arms beneath the limp body of the other Dwarf and somersaulted back. When they were out of the fiery ring she began beating Bifur’s smoldering clothing, trying to put them out. Smaller hands appeared suddenly to help, and she looked up into Fíli’s face.

When she was sure Bifur was no longer burning, Dís dragged Fíli into a suffocating embrace. “Oh, _Sanûrzud_ , my sweetheart, my boy!”

The giant Orc was now in pieces and Thorin approached and threw his arms around his sister and Fíli. “Kíli came and told us,” he explained unnecessarily, his voice unmistakably filled with relief.

Kíli arrived at that moment. “Fíli!” he screamed, hurling himself at his brother. Thorin and Dís were pushed aside, and Fíli staggered at the sudden appearance of Kíli in his arms.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” Kíli cried. “I never meant for any of this!”

 “Neither did I!”  Fíli choked out, burying his face in his brother’s hair. “Forgive me, Kíli, I was so mean to you—!”

“No, I was the mean one,” Kíli answered miserably.

“I called you a coward!” Fíli protested.

“I made fun of you!” Kíli exclaimed.

“I tried to guilt you out of it!” Fíli lamented.

“I tried to scare you with the dark!” Kíli bemoaned.

“You did,” Fíli admitted.

“And I’m _really_ sorry!” Kíli cried again. “Please, please forgive me!”

“This whole thing was a terrible idea,” Fíli declared. He paused, considered a moment. “Hey...do you think it’s morning yet?”

Kíli shrugged. “Who cares?”

“Well, if it is, then I think we both made it through the whole thing!”

Grinning, Kíli hugged his brother again, saying into his shirt, “We’re not cowards.”

Dís watched this entire thing with arms crossed and a wide smile on her face. She glanced at her own brother, and saw memory and longing in his eyes. Thorin was remembering Frerin, she realized, and compassion rose inside, melting Amtêkurdu’s grip on her soul. Hopefully seeing her boys reconcile would give him some peace about the future of their hearts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sanûrzud is Fíli's real name. It means "perfect (true/pure) sun"
> 
> This story is almost wrapped up! You're all so good for keeping up with me! XD


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